Rope-clamp.



PATENTED NOV. 6, 1906.

A. H. MEEGH.

ROPE CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.2-i,1905.

.Withstanding the increased strains and be UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

i ALFRED H. MEEOH, OF OHATHAM, NEW YORK.

ROPE- Specification of Letters Patent.

CLAMP.

Patented Nov. 6, 1906.

Application filed November 24, 1905. Serial No. 288,882.

strength amounting to two hundred and twenty-five thousand; or twohundred and fifty thousand pounds per square inch of actualcross-section, and the loads which cables are now called upon to carryis also roportionately increased. It is therefore ighly important thatthe means employed for fastening the cable terminals or joining adjacentsections should be capable of of the most certain and trustworthycharacter, withstanding the imposed stresses under all circumstances,regardless of corrosion, vibration, oxidation, or other deleteriousinfluences.

It is the purpose of my present invention to provide a clamp applicableto securing the ends of a wire or rope cable or joining adjacentsections and which shall impose a greater resistance to failure than thebreaking-point of the cablein other words, one which shall insureagainst failure of the cable except at its calculated breaking-point.

A further object of the invention is to rovide a device of thischaracter which sha 1 be simple, compact in appearance, and easy toconstruct.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in theconstruction, com bination, location, and arrangement of arts, all aswill be more fully hereinafter set orth, as shown in the accompanyingdrawings, and finally particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view illustrating a cable having aclamp thereon embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is aperspective view showing the principal portions of the clamp. Fig. 3 isa sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking upward. Fig. 4 is aview similar to Fig. 1 with one of the clamping-plates removed.

In carrying out my invention I make use of clamping plates or members,which are plied thereto arranged to deflect the cable into a series ofbights or bends of sufficient sharpness to preclude slipping, but of anature which shall not injure the cable and weaken the same, especiallyadjacent to its main portion.

Referring now to the drawings, and to the various views andreference-signs appearing thereon, in which like parts are designated bythe same reference-sign wherever they occur, 1 indicates a cable ofstranded wire, hemp, or other form of flexible or semiflexible construction, and I have shown a clamp embodying the principles of myinvention apor the purpose of producing an eye 2 at a terminal portionof the cable.

3 indicates the usual thimble, which serves to guide the eye into aproper form and prevent excessive wear thereon. The end 4 of the cableis brought parallel and adjacent to its main portion 1, so as to liealongside the same, and upon the adjacent sections I place the clamps,which constitute the essential feature of my invention. While I haveshown the clamps applied for the purpose of forming a terminal eye upona single cable, it is evident that they may be applied to spliceadjacent sections or for any other purpose.

In Fig. 2 is illustrated a pair of clamping members which I have foundefficient in actual practice, comprisinga main clamping member 5, havinglegs 6, and a supplemental clamping member 7, also having a plurality oflegs 8, which are designed to interlock with the legs 6 of the art 5.The member 5 comprises a central ongitudinal support or back 9 with aseries of openings 10, and the legs 6 preferably lie in pairs atopposite sides of the support or back 9, so as to present opposed facesto one another, the arrangement being such as to leave a pair of legs ateach end of the clamping-frame. In this way a plurality of pairs of oposed legs are produced, between which are coated the spaced openings 10in alternating or staggered relation therewith. The opposed faces ofcorresponding legs 6 are rounded slightly, as shown at 11, for a purposewhich will later appear.

The clamping member 7 is somewhat similar in its general form to theclamping member 5, having a su port or back 12 and spaced 0 enings 13,whic are similar to and capable of being alined with the o enings 10 ofthe clamping member 5. The egs 8 of the member 7 do not, however,correspond to the legs 6 of the part 5, being opposite and in line withthe openings 13 rather than in staggered relation thereto, as in theprevious part. The arrangement is such as to leave a projecting part 14at each end of the back or support 12 and intermediate narrow portionswhich correspond in number and location to the legs 6 of the oppositeclamping member. In like manner the number and location of the legs 8correspond substantially with the spaces between the legs 6 of theopposite clamping member. Under these circumstances it will be apparentthat the 'two clamping members can be interlocked or dovetailedtogether, so that the legs 8 lie in the spaces between the legs 6, whilethe narrow parts 14 and 15 of the member 7 lie between the opposed facesof the legs 6 upon the member 5. In this position the openings 10 and 13are all opposite one another.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 4, the member 5 is shown lying uponits back with its legs turned upward. The bolts 16 are inserted intolace, and the cable 1 is threaded longitudinally along the clampingmember 5 in a sinuous path around the various bolts and legs 6, and itsend 4 is finally doubled backward, so as to be also included in sinuousform between the opposed legs. The clamping member 7 is now laced overthe whole in such a way that the egs 8 will fall between the legs 6 ofthe lower clamping member, as above described. In this way they willcome opposite the deflected portions of the cablesections 1 and 4, andthereby protect the same against injury or undue expansion. Any form ofbolts, screws, rivets, or connecting means 16 are now passed through thealined openings 10 and 13, after which the clamp is complete and thecable-sections secured together in permanent relation.

What I claim is- 1. A cable-clamp comprising a member having a series ofpairs of legs in spaced transverse planes along the length thereof,means intermediate said pairs for deflecting the cable into a seriesof'bights or bends, and a second clamping member also having legs andarranged to gri the cables in such relation.

2. A cable-c amp comprising a member having a series of pairs of legs inspaced transverse planes along the length thereof, bolts intermediatesaid pairs and adapted to he between the cables to be clamped, and asecond clamping member having pairs of legs opposite said bolts andspaced apart an amount to hold the cable to be clamped against saidbolts.

3. A cable-clamp comprising a clamping member having a series of opposedlegs and an opening, a second clamping member having an opening, andmeans passed through said 0 enings for connecting said members and aapted to lie between the cables to be clamped and deflect the same intoa series of bends.

4. A cable-clamp com rising a member having a back with space openingstherein, legs projecting from said back and arranged in a series havingopposite rounded faces, a second clamping member having a back withopenings corresponding to those of the firstnamed member and a series oflegs projecting therefrom and dis osed opposite the spaces between thelegs 0 the first-mentioned member, and means passed through saidopenings for connecting said members.

5. A cable-clamp comprising a member having a back with a plurality ofopenings therein, legs projecting between said openings and also at theterminal ends of the memher, a second member having openingscorresponding to those of the first-mentioned member and legssubstantially in the same transverse plane of said last-named openings,and means passed through said openings of both members for connectingsaid members.

6. A cable-clamp comprising a member having a back with an openingtherein, a pair of legs at each side of said opening having oposedrounded faces, a second member havmg an opening and a pair of legssubstantially in the same transverse plane of said opening, and meanspassed through said openings of both members for connecting saidmembers.

7. A cable-clamp com rising a member having a back with space openingstherein, legs intermediate said openings, a second clamping memberhaving openings, and

means passed through said openings of both members to connect themembers and deflect a cable into a plurality of bights or bends betweensaid legs.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

ALFRED H. MEECH.

Witnesses:

WM. M. STOCKBRIDGE, .WILLIAM DORMAN, Jr.

